The benefits of physical exercise for health are undoubted. Whether going out, going to swim, gym, paddle classes, or with a personal coach; The message that the important thing is to move and do something that we like getting more and more in the population. But as with medications, the effects of exercise may depend on certain variables, such as dose. In fact, as we recently commented , variables such as training frequency, the type of exercise or its intensity can greatly affect the benefits obtained.

However, a factor that is rarely taken into account is the possible influence of training supervision. When they prescribe a drug, it makes it a qualified professional who takes into account your characteristics and needs at that time, and that controls that the dose of the same is optimal. Saving the obvious differences, the supervision of the exercise by a professional would have the same objective: to evaluate the needs, to prescribe individually, and monitor that the exercise is applied correctly. In addition, supervision often allows to increase motivation with respect to exercise and adherence to the training program, and especially in cases where group training are made, provide a greater socio -affective component to the session. 

These factors are partly responsible for the gyms registered rates have increased in recent years. After a pandemic period in which many had to train at home, with the few materials we had, and without the supervision of a professional, the number of people who go to the gym seems to be reaching their previous values ​​or even increasing them. This is what the latest physical activity Eurobarometer , which shows how this figure has increased from 9% of respondents in 2020 to 13% in 2023. This figure is almost twice as registered as in the year 2000 , which confirms the rise of these centers.

However, there are many who prefer to train on their own, either by ease or other reasons. In fact, especially from the Covid-19 pandemic, there are more and more alternatives to supervised training in person; From training plan apps in which you can decide what training to do every day, to videoconference supervision. These training, even those carried out with no supervision, have shown to be effective to improve the physical form, thus assuming an alternative to assess when we have no availability of resources to perform supervised training. ¹ After all, doing something is (almost) always better than doing nothing. But this is where a key question arises, results in greater benefits the supervision of training by a professional?

Supervised training benefits 

Although the evidence is controversial by aspects that we will discuss later, there is evidence that supports the superiority of training supervised by a professional compared to doing so on our own. For example, a recent meta-analysis included 12 studies that had compared force training under supervision against another group that did such training without supervision. ² The results in general showed a small, but significant effect in favor of supervised training, including greater benefits in variables such as muscle strength or mass - although without differences in other variables such as fat, speed or resistance.

These results confirm those observed by another previous meta-analysis published in the prestigious Sports Medicine , although in this case focused on older people. After analyzing 11 studies that had compared the effects of supervised training in the face of not supervised in over 65 years, the results showed that supervision by a professional resulted in greater benefits in variables such as static and dynamic balance, or in force and muscle power. ³ Of course, these differences were diluted if some supervised sessions were included in the non -supervised group (eg, one in three sessions), which would allow monitoring even if it is intermittently that the applied loads and the technique are correct.

However, numerous factors could influence the differences between both types of training; especially the type of "non -supervised" training applied. When diving in the literature, we found studies that have considered non -supervised training to prescribe an active lifestyle (eg, go out to walk), while the supervised group carried out several weekly sessions of planned training. Obviously, the comparison is unbalanced. Therefore, to be able to make an aseptic decision it is necessary to compare interventions that are similar, especially taking into account that this is increasing to monitor, etc.).

In this sense, some studies have compared similar exercise interventions carried out under personal supervision or without it . For example, a study in post-menopausal women evaluated the effect of a similar training program (including 2 weekly sessions of strength and stretching exercises with elastic and weight gums) on body composition; But while some women did such training in a supervised way, others did at home without supervision. ⁴ After a year of training, only those who had trained with supervision had increased their muscle mass . Similar results observed other authors who analyzed a group of older people (Middle Ages 73 years) who did supervised training, without supervising, or who did not directly train. ⁵ After 3 months, the group under supervision had improved to a greater extent different physical function variables such as the speed of march or the test of sitting and getting up from the chair (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Effects of a supervised training program, without supervising, or not training, in the performance in the test of sitting and getting up from the chair in the elderly. Adapted figure of Lacroix et al. ⁵

It could be argued that these results are due to the fact that these participants were older and were not familiar with training, and that different results could have been obtained if a young person and very accustomed to training, does it without supervision. However, a recent study analyzed a group of 36 young people who already did strength training regularly and assigned them to carry out 8 weeks of the same training program (8 exercises, 3 sessions per week) with supervision or on their own . ⁶ At the end of this period, the supervised group had obtained greater improvements in different hypertrophy markers (including a greater thickness of the triceps, the femoral rectum and the vast side, as well as greater increases in muscle mass in general) and muscle strength (including Higher profits in the maximum force in Squat). ⁶

Supervision by a professional, even if it is not totally individual

In addition, it seems that supervision is not a matter of "all or nothing." Not everyone can count on a personal coach continuously, but we are not going to stop obtaining benefits. In fact, as we mentioned earlier, the inclusion of some supervised session within a non -supervised program (eg, a session every so often) already supposes greater benefits compared to making all sessions without supervision. ³ In addition, group supervision also seems to contribute certain benefits. For example, a study compared the effects of training for 4 months under the supervision of a personal coach, with group supervision (such as in a gym in which the staff helps you if you request it), or without supervision (training in their house or in a park). All participants were prescribed the same type of training and the same intensity, including 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per session and 6 strength exercises. At the end of 4 months, the results showed that the group that had obtained the greatest benefits in cardiorespiratory capacity, muscle strength and body composition was the one that had a personal coach. But curiously, benefits were also observed - although minor - with group supervision if compared to the group that trained without any supervision (Figure 2). ⁷

Figure 2. Effect of a supervised training program personally, with group supervision (as in a gym), or without supervision or access to specific facilities (at home, parks, etc.) in the lower train force. Adapted figure of Hunter et al. ⁷

Conclusions

Supervision by a professional seems to maximize the benefits obtained with training. This may be due to numerous motifs; From greater adhesion to exercise and motivation, to greater control of the technique or the applied dose . It is obvious, however, that not everyone can have a personal coach (and maybe not everyone needs it). However, there are alternatives that can also be highly recommended. For example, especially since the Covid pandemic, there has been an exponential growth of apps to perform training supervised by video call, which have also shown great efficiency. ⁸ In addition, the inclusion of a supervised training session within a non -supervised program, or group supervision, can also provide benefits compared to non -supervised training. Finally, it would be important to note that it is not only a matter of supervising or not supervising, but of who supervises it, being convenient to put themselves in the hands of qualified professionals for this task. Our health is in your hands.

References:

1 Mañas A, Gómez-Redondo P, Valenzuela PL, et al. Unsupervised Home-Based Resistance Training for Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 69 (December 2020). Doi: 10.1016/J.ar.2021.101368.

2 Fisher J, Steele J, Wolf M, et al. The Role of Supervision in Resistance Training; An exploratory systematic review and meta-analysis. Int j strength ard 2022; 2 (1): 1–21. DOI: 10.47206/IJSC.V2I1.101.

3 Lacroix A, Hortobágyi T, Beurskens R, et al. Effects of Supervised vs. Unsupervised Training Program on Balance and Muscle Strength in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sport Med 2017; 47 (11): 2341–2361. DOI: 10.1007/S40279-017-0747-6.

4 Bittar St, Maeda SS, Marone MMS, et al. Physical Exercises with Free Weights and Elastic Bands Can Improve Body Composition Paramers in Postmenopausal Women: Web protocol with A Randomized Controlled Trial. Menopause 2016; 23 (4): 383–389. DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000542.

5 Lacroix A, Kressig RW, Muehlbauer T, et al. Effects of A Supervised versus an Unsupervised Combined Balance and Strength Training Program on Balance and Muscle Power In Healthy Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Gerontology 2016; 62 (3): 275–288. DOI: 10.1159/000442087.

6 Coleman M, Burke R, Benavente C, et al. SUPERVISION During Resistance Training Positively Muscle Influences Adaptations in Resistance-Trained Individuals. J Sports Sci 2023; 41 (12): 1207–1217.

7 Hunter J, Gordon B, Bird S, et al. EXERCISE SUPERVISION IS IMPORTANT FOR CARDIOMetabolic Health Improvements: A 16-Week Randomized Controlled Trial. J Strength Cond Res 2020; 34 (3): 866–877.

8 Langeard A, Bigot L, Maffiuletti Na, et al. Non-inferiority of a home-based Videoconference Physical Training Program in Comparison The Same Program Administered Face-to-Face in Healthy Older Adults: The Motion Randomized Controlled Trial. Ageing 2022; 51 (3): 1–8. DOI: 10.1093/Ageing/AFAC059.